


taste of ink

by izazov



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anakin's Behavior Is Acceptable Only In A Controlled Environment Of A Fic, Feels, Human Disaster Anakin Skywalker, M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:27:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25828198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/izazov/pseuds/izazov
Summary: Many would consider working as a lifeguard during summer break to be a dream job. Not Anakin Skywalker. But there is a silver lining to every cloud.
Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi/Anakin Skywalker
Comments: 6
Kudos: 799





	taste of ink

Anakin doesn't like beaches. Especially during summer. There's too much people, it's too hot, too loud, and yeah, there is fucking sand everywhere.

Which is why he'd almost refused when Professor Jinn offered him a job as a lifeguard during summer break.

Anakin is really glad he'd gone with a gut feeling, and said yes. Really glad. In fact, he should buy the Professor one of those plants he keeps trying but failing to grow in his cabinet as a thank-you.

Glancing at his watch briefly, Anakin adjusts the binoculars, his pulse spiking in anticipation.

Aaand… bingo. There he is, the Tattoo Hottie himself, punctual as always.

And, as always, hot as hell. On some days, possibly too hot.

Today is one of those days. Days Anakin dreads almost as much as he enjoys them. After all, there is only so much his swimming trunks can hide, and Anakin is on a clock here. Even if his only intervention in the past three weeks had been rescuing a stray dog from a bunch of creeps.

Today, Tattoo Hottie is shirtless, his jeans slung oh so low on his hips, giving Anakin - and his binoculars, of course - a tantalizing view of his hip bones, and, more importantly, an upper half of a tattoo Anakin is starting to see in his dreams.

Very vivid dreams.

"Snips," Anakin says, watching as Tattoo Hottie brushes a stray lock off his forehead - _god_ , but his hair is ginger, and Anakin has never liked that color, but now he'd like nothing better than card his fingers through it, make it _messy_ \- catching his lower lip between his teeth. "Did you ever wonder what ink tastes like?"

"That depends," Ahsoka answers after a moment of deliberation.

"It does?" Anakin murmurs, distracted by the small crease on Hottie's forehead as he checks his phone. Anakin wants to smooth it back. Preferably with his lips. "On what?"

"Whether you want to lick it off a public bathroom's wall or the crotch of that guy you've been stalking these past three weeks."

Anakin almost drops the binoculars. He whips his head around to stare at Ahsoka. "It's not on his- Wait. How do _you_ know about it?"

Ahsoka - sitting on _his_ chair, away from _sand_ , and spouting nonsense instead of being supportive and grateful - merely raises her eyebrows. "Subtle you are not, Skyguy. I sneaked a peek a week ago. You have good taste." Growing serious, she adds, "I know you can be… intense, Anakin. But this is a bit too much even for you."

"I am _not_ stalking him," Anakin sputters, offended. And if he has to force himself to put away the binoculars, that is no one's business but Anakin's.

Ahsoka shrugs, glancing down at her phone. "That would depend on how good your lawyer is."

"I will kick you off the ladders," Anakin warns, glancing wistfully at the binoculars. His fingers twitch nervously. "You're a civilian. You're not supposed to be here."

Ahsoka gives him an unimpressed look. Then returns to tapping at her phone.

Anakin huffs out a breath, his eyes irresistibly drawn toward the lone house on the far side of the bay, and the small figure standing on its deck.

It is beyond stupid; missing someone you have never even met. _Anakin_ is beyond stupid. But there is no better explanation for the ache inside his chest.

_Maybe Ahsoka is right. Maybe I've crossed a line I shouldn't have crossed. Maybe I should stop._

"You should ask him out."

Anakin's heart skips a beat, breath catching in his throat. An image flashes before his mind's eye: Hottie smiling up at him, soft and intimate, blue eyes glinting as he strokes a thumb across Anakin's lower lip.

Anakin has to actually clench his teeth to stop himself from whimpering when the image dissolves.

"I'll do that," Anakin says after a moment, trying but failing to keep his voice from sounding like he'd been chewing on gravel. "Just as soon as I finish composing a sonnet for Mace Windu."

Ahsoka sighs, then pushes herself up to her feet, sliding her phone into her back pocket.

"Gotta go, Barriss is meeting me at Dex's."

Anakin smirks, crossing his arms. "A date? Or are you still--" Anakin makes exaggerated air quotes, "--taking lessons in political science."

Ahsoka rolls her eyes, unperturbed. "I'm getting there." She pauses, giving Anakin an even look. "That's more than could be said for you. Unless your plan is to end up in jail. In that case, you're doing well."

Anakin's smirk falls. He flops down onto the lifeguard chair, and lets out a frustrated breath, bowing his head. "I can't ask him out."

"Why? The worst that could happen is that he says no. Possibly laughs at you. Maybe calls the cops."

Anakin raises his head, gives Ahsoka a dirty look.

Ahsoka rolls her eyes, crouching in front of Anakin. "Look, just try. Smile at the guy and ask him out for a coffee. It's better than what you've been doing so far. Not to mention it is legal."

Anakin shuts his eyes for a second, Ashoka's words taking root inside his mind. Making him think dangerous, impossible things.

Making him _hope._

Anakin opens his eyes, sighs."I- I have no idea what to do. Hell," Anakin says, a slightly hysterical edge to his voice. "I don't know his name. Or is he even into guys."

Ahsoka pats him on the knee, then stands up. "I'll take care of the first. You take the second."

Anakin frowns. "How?"

Ahsoka scoffs. "Have you seen yourself? Take off your shirt and get wet. It shouldn't be difficult since you're actually being paid for that."

Anakin opens his mouth. Then closes it.

Ahsoka smirks. "Glad we got that sorted. I'll call you later. If I get lucky, it'll be to tell you the Older Guy's name."

Anakin bristles. "He's not old."

_He is perfect._

Ahsoka gives him a thoughtful look. "It is strange, though. Your usual reaction to an authority figure is to want to fight them on principle alone. Not to get on your knees before them."

Anakin banishes _that particular_ image before it could fully form inside his mind. To his mortification, he can feel his cheeks heat.

"What gives you the idea that he's an authority figure?" Anakin asks, frowning. "How long did your sneak peek last?

"Calm down, Skyguy. You know he's not my type," Ahsoka says. "I just happen to be a good judge of character."

Anakin grins. "Well, you _are_ friends with me."

Ahsoka sighs exaggeratedly. "Everyone is allowed one mistake."

"Hey!" Anakin exclaims, offended.

Ahsoka merely grins at him. Then, she climbs down the ladder, and is gone.

Anakin's gaze - like a compass seeking north - flicks toward the beach house, finding the deck empty.

Swallowing the bitter taste of disappointment, Anakin picks up the discarded binoculars and goes back to watching the near empty beach.

And waiting. And waiting some more.

It is when Anakin is at home, working on Threepio, that his phone buzzes.

Anakin picks it up, his throat suddenly very dry, his heart racing a mile a minute. He stares at the small envelope symbol on his phone's screen for a long moment. He wants to open Ahsoka's message more than he's wanted anything since Padmé's death. He also never wants to see what it says.

_Fuck this_ , Anakin thinks, tapping the icon, his breath stuttering. Ahsoka's message is short: a name and 😍. But to Anakin, it is _everything_.

Slowly, Anakin puts away his phone and releases a deep breath. After a moment, he lies down on the couch, and stares at the ceiling, his thoughts a chaotic mess. With a single exception.

_Obi-Wan Kenobi._

**Author's Note:**

> I have bits and pieces of backstory to make this into a huge story. Unfortunately for me, I am not a strong writer. It would have been fun writing this particular incarnation of Anakin Skywalker, though.


End file.
